Comfort Food When Sick

It's all well and good to be a pioneer.  Heading out into the great unknown can be an adventure, but when when I'm feeling under the weather all I really want is comfort food.

Since we changed to a plant-based diet we are not sick as often or as long, but when I have a sore throat and feel cruddy I still want something to make me feel better.  So what could ever replace my beloved homemade chicken noodle soup?  Or good ole Sprite?  It turns out hot tea and/or smoothies really soothes my throat.  That's easy.  I don't miss the soda pop at all.  But what about my wonderful homemade chicken and noodles?  It was one of my favorite dishes to make, especially when I felt unwell.  It turns out the answer involves miso - something I never even heard up before our diet change.  Here's my new favorite comfort food for when I'm healing:

Miso Soup

Miso soup is a wonderful replacement for Chicken Noodle Soup when you are feeling unwell.  Miso has a long history and is known for it’s healing properties.  Miso paste is found in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, and Koyo brand Udon noodles and the kelp/dulse seasoning are found in the asian aisle.

Our favorite noodles are Udon, but feel free to try any noodles you want.   Fetticini nest balls from WalMart are egg free wide noodles that are nice to use, too.  Whole wheat noodles tend to be too strong a taste for this soup.  

Add a bag of mixed veggies to up the nutrients, and color.  Or tofu cubes if you like tofu in your miso soup.  Real onion, seaweed, and garlic can be used for a chunkier soup.

2 packages noodles

1 T sea salt

2 T  onion powder

1 t Kelp and/or Dolse granules sea seasonings (can skip or use parsley flakes instead)

2 T soy sauce (optional)

2-4 T Miso paste (yellow, white, brown rice, or barley)  

Fill dutch oven 3/4 full with water and put on to boil.  Once it is boiling add the noodles stirring to keep separate, using the cooking time on the package.  While the noodles are cooking, add salt, onion powder, kelp seasoning, and soy sauce.  

Once noodles are cooked, remove from heat.  Ladle 1/2 cup of the broth into a 1 c glass measuring cup or a mug and whisk miso until dissolved in broth, then add mixture to the soup pot.  Adjust any seasonings as desired.  

Having weathered a few storms now on a plant-based diet I can say with joy that I don't miss chicken noodle soup or Sprite at all, I've found new comfort foods.